Lee Bee Wah vs Jade Seah
In the context of the Beijing Olympics 2008, Singapore's newspapers were abuzz with the two controversies connected by two main similarities: 1) Both resulted in such uproars that terabytes of information were published on them, both online and in mainstream media, and 2) both had to do with inadequate control over tongues.
When after 48 years, Singapore citizens (never mind if they are born here or not, personally I subscribe to the tenet that Home is where the Heart is...) pull together to bring home the silver medal for the country, this momentous event is unfortunately overshadowed by two personalities who possessed "shoot from the hips" tongues. I am referring of course, to Lee Bee Wah, President of the Singapore Table-Tennis Association (STTA) and Jade Seah, erstwhile main presenter for the highlights for the Beijing Olympics Games Highlights televised live during the two-week period the Olympics was on.
The faux pas which Jade committed was an expletive inadvertently uttered and broadcast to thousands live, when she thought she was offline. The bomb which Lee Ban Wah inadvertently committed was when she shot from the hip and lambasted every STTA official from coach to manager for not having a coach at Gao Ning's side during his third-round match. My grouse is not that these two things happened; rather it is in the media's and Singaporean's reactions to both these controversies.
Don't you find the post-event circus amusing and rather bewildering? I do. But more than that, I find disturbing similarities to how Singaporeans have responded to both these events. Numerous articles for and against, innumerable interviews and countless forum posts, are all taking sides, but disturbingly, passing judgement without due recognition of the context in which these two situations occurred.
Jade Seah's single expletive was born out of frustration, uttered in an environment which she believed was offline, and away from public view. It was an emotional response, only meant to let off personal exasperation, and never meant for public consumption. Most importantly, use of that expletive was never meant to hurt, insult or threaten anyone else. It was muttered "off-stage" as it were, and done without any intent for malice.
Lee Bee Wah's comments however, most notoriously her "heads will roll" comment, was said on-stage, in full view of the public eye, and most importantly, with full knowledge that her statement will be quoted and published. Granted, she was at the Olympics as President of the STTA, and she must be passionate and love the sport she heads. However, let's not forget that also as a Member of Parliament, of all people, she ought to know the ramifications and consequences of shooting her mouth off without due thought for the fallout from the media, the public, and most importantly the morale of the players in her own association. Her comments were personally-directed, and to any person with an iota of intelligence, carried the intent to hurt and to threaten.
The New Paper ran a double-bill pictorial on our table-tennis heroes and heroines returning to Singapore. To know the impact of Lee Bee Wah's words to the public, just look at their expressions caught on camera.
As the discerning public, which would actually be more deserving of our forgiveness? My personal opinion would be Jade Seah, taking into account the context of the situation as well as her personal intent. I would be less forgiving towards our current President of the STTA, for exactly the same reasons.
The comments and observations in this post are strictly of my own opinion, but I also firmly stand by what I said. Our politicians, our Presidents of Sports Associations, ought to know better.
When after 48 years, Singapore citizens (never mind if they are born here or not, personally I subscribe to the tenet that Home is where the Heart is...) pull together to bring home the silver medal for the country, this momentous event is unfortunately overshadowed by two personalities who possessed "shoot from the hips" tongues. I am referring of course, to Lee Bee Wah, President of the Singapore Table-Tennis Association (STTA) and Jade Seah, erstwhile main presenter for the highlights for the Beijing Olympics Games Highlights televised live during the two-week period the Olympics was on.
The faux pas which Jade committed was an expletive inadvertently uttered and broadcast to thousands live, when she thought she was offline. The bomb which Lee Ban Wah inadvertently committed was when she shot from the hip and lambasted every STTA official from coach to manager for not having a coach at Gao Ning's side during his third-round match. My grouse is not that these two things happened; rather it is in the media's and Singaporean's reactions to both these controversies.
Don't you find the post-event circus amusing and rather bewildering? I do. But more than that, I find disturbing similarities to how Singaporeans have responded to both these events. Numerous articles for and against, innumerable interviews and countless forum posts, are all taking sides, but disturbingly, passing judgement without due recognition of the context in which these two situations occurred.
Jade Seah's single expletive was born out of frustration, uttered in an environment which she believed was offline, and away from public view. It was an emotional response, only meant to let off personal exasperation, and never meant for public consumption. Most importantly, use of that expletive was never meant to hurt, insult or threaten anyone else. It was muttered "off-stage" as it were, and done without any intent for malice.
Lee Bee Wah's comments however, most notoriously her "heads will roll" comment, was said on-stage, in full view of the public eye, and most importantly, with full knowledge that her statement will be quoted and published. Granted, she was at the Olympics as President of the STTA, and she must be passionate and love the sport she heads. However, let's not forget that also as a Member of Parliament, of all people, she ought to know the ramifications and consequences of shooting her mouth off without due thought for the fallout from the media, the public, and most importantly the morale of the players in her own association. Her comments were personally-directed, and to any person with an iota of intelligence, carried the intent to hurt and to threaten.
The New Paper ran a double-bill pictorial on our table-tennis heroes and heroines returning to Singapore. To know the impact of Lee Bee Wah's words to the public, just look at their expressions caught on camera.
As the discerning public, which would actually be more deserving of our forgiveness? My personal opinion would be Jade Seah, taking into account the context of the situation as well as her personal intent. I would be less forgiving towards our current President of the STTA, for exactly the same reasons.
The comments and observations in this post are strictly of my own opinion, but I also firmly stand by what I said. Our politicians, our Presidents of Sports Associations, ought to know better.
posted by ekkie at 11:03 am
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